I really couldn’t get into this book! It was a disappointment, though potentially I struggled because I haven’t read the first book therefore found it hard to bios relationships with the characters

thank you for allowing me to read this book. it was very easy to read. i enjoyed the story line and the characters. look forward to reading more from this author.

I enjoyed The Family Secret so much I immediately purchased the first book. Having said that, I think the cover is a bit misleading. It's more of a romance than a history saga.


Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

A beautifully writtwn domestic drama, sure to tug on your heartstrings and make you appreciate your relationships more . Will definitely read more book by this author.

I got this thinking it was a historical mystery which I don’t quite agree with. I would say this is more in the romance genre. I did end up enjoying the book though but this is a once in a lifetime; I might read a romance novel every couple of years or so. The story was fairly innocuous set in the English countryside and most importantly away from London where the Germans had started bombing.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

I loved the characters in Terry Lynn Thomas' novel The Family Secret and hadn't realized that it was actually the second in the series. Obviously the characters backstory from the first novel didn't matter because Thomas did an excellent job of blending those events into this new novel. I was sucked into the family drama from the beginning as these characters navigated the depths of the war and revealed their own traumas and tribulations. I liked the fast pace of the novel and it had a great mixture of mystery, suspense, and romance. I wanted to see how everything was revealed and was adequately pleased.

This book will appeal to anyone who likes historical novels
The setting, the pace and the plot of this book are very good but it’s the characters who make this book so enjoyable
This is the second book in a series but could be read as a stand-alone book
An amazing read

A great read, loved the way the characters intertwined. The mystery and intrigue kept you wanting more. My first novel by this author and I will definitely be looking out for more. Thoroughly enjoyable!

This was a fun, well written mystery. I enjoyed it very much, I thought the characters were well drawn and the mystery was engaging. A perfect light read for the beach.

Well-written and suspenseful, Terry Lynn Thomas tells the intriguing tale of Cat Carlisle and Thomas Charles who descend upon a small English village to solve a murder under the guise of writing a book about rural architecture. Set just before WWII and the second in a series, Thomas’s The Family Secret, can be read as a stand alone without sacrifing an appreciation of the context or the characters. It is an easy and effortless book to read and fits well within the cozy mystery/light read category or genre. I am now a fan and look forward to reading more of Terry Lynn Thomas’s work.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I recently finished The Family Secret by Terry Lynn Thomas. It's the second title in the Cat Carlisle series. It was easy to read as a standalone, but I think you would understand more of the characters' histories if you read the first novel, The Silent Woman (which I have not yet read.) I was vaguely expecting this to be "historical drama", and was surprised when it actually was a bit more mysterious. It focused on an investigator and his romantic interest, in their small town escape from London. Rather than being the main backdrop for the events and going-ons, the war actually loomed distantly on the horizon, influencing decisions (i.e. evacuating from London.) (This surprise is all on me - it was definitely touted as historical mystery.)

All that said, I was not disappointed in this read. It was well-written and colourfully descriptive. Characters were developed enough that even though you were invested in their doings, you didn't necessarily love them. Spoiled teens, entitled adults, nosy neighbours... you'll find them all. The plot - the actual mystery - was engrossing and intriguing, the character backgrounds giving them a bit more depth, and I loved the dramatic climax.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley with thanks to the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own. Full review posted on my blog 4/16/19:
https://lifelovelaughterlinds.home.blog/?p=714

The Family Secret is a great mystery that is well written and I enjoyed the characters. I didn't read the first book, but it didn't really of too much. I will go back and read the first.

I really enjoyed reading The Family Secretby Terry Lynn Thomas!
I loved her main character, Cat Carlisle, what a vivacious name, and vivacious she is! Her personality keeps the story moving and her attention to detail and helping others makes her admirable.
There’s a bit of romance woven into the story as well with Cat and Thomas. Thomas seems a great fit for Cat due to their shared interests and desire to work a lead.
There are many family secrets hidden from the reader and they play out through the young adult children of the families. I found myself trying to read as fast as possible to find out what the secrets are in each of the storylines!

I would rate this book as 5 stars, it was extremely enjoyable to read and was paced well with endearing characters.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

The Family Secret by Terry Lynn Thomas.
It would have been so helpful to know that this was the second installment in a series.
I went into this book completely unaware and unfamiliar with the characters,
I found myself really wanting this book to end. It wasn't bad at all, just not really that interesting to me.
Characters were likable, the story was good. Just not my cup of tea.

three stars.

WWII London is turning into a dangerous place, Cat Carlisle is eager to get out. But the mysteries in her childhood village of Rivenby make for a more interesting stay. Not having read the first installment, I was not familiar with these characters, but they are well developed and sensitive. I may look for the first book.

I really enjoyed this novel and found it intriguing and a very easy read, which isn’t a bad thing. This isn’t your usual Detective story. Set at the break out of the 2nd World War, Cat Carlisle returns to her home town and , having been in the press for investigating and uncovering her husbands killer, she is soon asked to investigate the suspicious car accident of a local resident. Although this is the second book in the Cat Carlisle series, I didn’t feel as though I was missing out on anything, however I do now want to read the first installment as I’d like to know a little more about the Cat and Thomas and their relationship.

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy of this publication.

Cat Carlisle's friend Thomas Charles returns into her life and suggests she move back to Rivenby, her childhood village, While the request is cloaked with her safety in mind, Cat learns that Thomas has other intentions in mind. In fact, he's investigating a murder and suspects Cat's friend Beth. Cat joins in the investigation to clear her friend's name, but she's also caught in the midst of a village secret. Who is guilty? Who is innocent?

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Cat Carlisle is a very likable character, and the book is a fun read with an interesting angle, tying into WW2 and refugees. It's also fast-paced and well written. However, it isn't super engaging. And there are numerous characters to keep track of, which was confusing. "The Family Secret" does stand alone, but it might have been easier to get into if I had read the first book in this series. Note: the book contains some mild cursing.

I found this book an easy read, it was pleasant.
The main protagonists were likeable characters.
It didn't excite me, but I found myself wanting to see how it all wrapped up in the end.
The ending was adequate.

I can see that there's a market for this style of books. Agatha Christie style mysteries, easy to read, clean mysteries.

Thanks to NetGalley, Terry Lyn Thomas and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A compelling story with engaging characters, THE FAMILY SECRET by Terry Lynn Thomas is sure to please historical fiction and WWII fiction fans everywhere.

​On the brink of war, Thomas Charles has been given another assignment by Sir Reginald which appeals to Thomas for one reason - he gets to whisk Cat away from the dangers of London to the country village of Rivenby where she grew up. He loves Cat and will do whatever it takes to be near her. But this quaint little place is not as quiet as he had hoped when murder rears its ugly head again and again.
Cat is delighted to see Thomas again and jumps at the chance to spend more time with him and return to her childhood home. But as she becomes embroiled in a murder investigation, can she uncover the truth before it is too late?

The setting, plot, and pace of this story are excellently handled but it is the characters that really make THE FAMILY SECRET shine. While this is the second book in this series, you can easily read this book independently as their backstory is deftly woven throughout. All of the characters have their own unique history that pulls you in but I really loved the two young girls, Edythe and Carmona, and their friendship which is so genuine and heartfelt. There is plenty of mystery, subterfuge, and lies to keep readers on their toes and there is never a dull moment in this gripping read.

THE FAMILY SECRET by Terry Lynn Thomas is an excellent example of how captivating and absorbing historical fiction can truly be and I highly recommend it!

No longer just the threat of war – it’s now a reality, and London’s a dangerous place to be. We’re still in the world of espionage and dirty deeds though, and although Thomas might be rather keener on pursuing his historical and literary endeavours, as well as rebuilding his relationship with Cat, it’s a tangled web that won’t let him go. But that world is really a backdrop and catalyst, sometimes making its presence felt, for a quite different story.

The setting this time is rural Cumbria and the village of Rivenby, barely impacted by war except by the influx of evacuees, a safe retreat for Cat and her ward Annie, and a return to the familiar surroundings of her childhood. But there’s been an unexplained death, and sinister goings-on continue and multiply – and, Cat being Cat, she just can’t stop herself becoming involved.

In some ways, this is a quite different book from the first, maybe more of a “cosy” mystery (and why does it always sound rather rude to describe a book in that way?). If I could make a TV comparison, I thought it was a perfect cross between the best of Midsomer Murders crossed with Foyle’s War, and that’s not a bad pedigree. In other ways, it isn’t different – it’s full of wonderfully drawn characters (undoubtedly one of the author’s many strengths), and the whole story is every bit as gripping, filled with unexpected twists and turns that frequently catch you by surprise as it races to its dramatic climax.

Cat isn’t really the focus for this story, although her sleuthing constantly moves the story forward and she’s the catalyst for many of its more dramatic moments. At its centre is Carmona Broadbent, with her controlling and overbearing mother and doormat father, who develops a totally unsuitable attraction for the rather sleazy Phillip Billings, and with far-reaching consequences.

But this is a story with a large cast of characters, many of whom take their turn to behave badly or to begin a course of action that’s unlikely to end well. There’s real drama, a few life-threatening moments, unexpected relationships, shocks and surprises galore – and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment, racing through it in a single sitting.

Do you need to have read the earlier book to enjoy this one? I’d say no (although I’d really recommend it on its own merits) – this really is a self-contained story. The author does an excellent job of touching lightly on the events of the past – in fact, I think others could learn from the way she handles it – and that outline is more than sufficient.

So have we seen the last of Cat Carlisle? Oh, I do hope not! I rarely read a series, but this is one I’m thoroughly enjoying…

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)